Piper Alderman appoints new superannuation team in Sydney office

Leading national law firm, Piper Alderman, has announced the appointment of a new superannuation team in its Sydney office.

Lisa-Marie McKechnie and Kathy Neilson join the firm as partners, with Kerry Jacobs as a senior associate. Wendy Gao, a lawyer with Piper Alderman will also join the team.

Commenting on the decision to join Piper Alderman, Lisa-Marie said:

“I am delighted to bring our superannuation team to complement Piper Alderman’s existing banking and financial services regulatory practice and to have the opportunity to continue to provide our suite of financial services to our clients in an increasingly challenging business environment. Financial services providers are facing a number of key challenges and there has never been a better time to offer our clients the opportunity to also access the broader services available at Piper Alderman.”

Lisa-Marie McKechnie has over 25 years of deep technical financial services experience advising clients in the areas of superannuation, general and life insurance and regulatory matters.

During her career, Lisa-Marie has acted for a number of trustees and life insurers in all jurisdictions, including the AFCA, the County, District, Supreme and Federal Courts in the management and defence of a broad range of superannuation and life insurance matters including the defence of regulatory investigations and enforcement actions.

Lisa-Marie is a former Director on the Board of the Financial Services Accountants Association (FSAA), a regular presenter with the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees (AIST) and the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) and the former NSW chair of the peak body for life insurance in Australia and New Zealand, Australasian Life Underwriting and Claims Association (ALUCA).

Kathy Neilson is a highly experienced financial services lawyer, with over 12 years of experience both in private legal practice and at the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). While at ASIC, Kathy led the review and redrafting of the Regulatory Guide 97 fees and costs disclosure regime for superannuation and managed investment schemes leading her to develop a unique expertise in this area.

Kathy also advises on a wide range of financial services issues across superannuation and life insurance including in relation to regulatory requirements, disclosure, mergers and acquisitions such as successor fund transfers, licensing, corporate governance, prudential obligations, ASIC and APRA applications and investigations, privacy and anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) obligations. Kathy also presents regularly with ASFA to superannuation trustees on topical regulatory issues.

Kerry Jacobs has been involved in a range of financial services matters including superannuation, prudential regulation, regulatory compliance, privacy, corporate governance and AML/CTF.

The appointment of the new team takes the firm’s partner count to 85, following the recent partner promotions of Caterina Meduri and Craig Subocz, and the appointment of Nick Foulkes in Perth and Peter Nugent in Brisbane.

Managing Partner, Tony Britten-Jones, commented:

“We are excited to welcome Lisa-Marie, Kathy and Kerry to the firm. The team’s exceptional skills, experience, and expertise in superannuation will undoubtedly enhance our national financial services team and strengthen our ability to provide outstanding service to our financial services clients.”

The firm is delighted to welcome Lisa-Marie, Kathy and Kerry to the firm at a time of significant regulatory change and disruption.

Related media coverage

• Piper Alderman takes team from EY – Lawyers Weekly, 17 July 2023